Two New Species of Carnivorous Dinosaurs Identified

These fossils have been described and identified as those from a carnivorous type of dinosaur. Researchers say that one species of was a scavenger like the hyenas and vultures with the other one being a hunter. Further details on the discovery can be found in the paleontology journal titled as “Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.”

The fossils were discovered eight years ago by Dr. Paul Serano from the University of Chicago. Serano had discovered the fossils around the western edge of the Tenere Desert located in Niger. It is said that the fossils are at least 110 million years old. The age was probably determined through potassium-argon dating since radiocarbon dating is only good for the first 10,000 years.

Anything over 10,000 years requires potassium-argon dating.

“They are the earliest records of both major carnivore groups that would go on to dominate Africa, South America, and India during the next 50 million years, in the Cretaceous Period,” Steve Brusatte explained. Brusatte is from the University of Bristol.

The first one is identified as the Kryptops palaios which means “old hidden face.” It is said that this species would act like a hyena in terms of scavenging meat for the dead carcasses.

The other one is identified as the Eocarcharia dinops which translates into “fierce-eyed dawn shark.” It was identified as a species that would attack live pray. In addition, researchers say that this species was also suited to sever the body parts of its prey.

The Kyptops palaios and Eocarcharia dinops can now be added to the list of known dinosaurs in existence. What can be considered interesting is that both species contrast from each other on how they get food.

One picks the meat from the bones of a dead body while the other one hunts for its prey.